Effective sim training
The use of 'own instructors' has several advantages as '212' suggests and one of the most important is that the candidates are known quantities and the instructor has a vested interested in ensuring a quality product at the end of the day.
However, the 'I'll check you if you check me' syndrome is endemic and the occasional use of external auditors to validate your instructors and the training they deliver is to be recommended. Trouble is I don't know anyone who does it........yet!!!
SAS and his lessons of yesteryear inform us and warn us - don't just tick boxes. Do the job properly and real value for money will follow.
I agree with 212 that once you have mastered home territory the use of any airport for IR training is valid but some caution is necessary. Whilst charter pilots take every day as it comes the airlines generally run through a route-training programme in the sim prior to 'live' line flights. There is no training value in a flight that ends in a chaotic mess because of a glitch in the sim-automatics because nobody has ever flown that location before. We know they are supposed to work but keeping the sim nav database, the sim positional database, the sim avionics positional database and the sim visual database in line is occasionally a step too far. Shame to find out mid-lesson and waste all that time.
G.
Last edited by Geoffersincornwall; 29th April 2012 at 12:24.